Macaulay Culkin: ‘My father’s abuse convinced me to quit Hollywood’

Macaulay, 37, was Hollywood’s best known child actor in the early 1990s, but left the entertainment industry for several years after starring in the 1994 film Richie Rich.

Opening up about the pressures of child fame on podcast WTF with Marc Maron, the actor and musician alleged his father Kit was “mentally and physically” abusive and “jealous” of him, and threatened to hit him if he did not “do good”.

“He was a bad man,” the actor and musician told Maron. “He was abusive. Physically and mentally. I can show you all my scars if I wanted to.”

The star also claimed his father decided which film roles he would take, and admitted he hadn’t spoken to his dad in 25 years.

Macaulay’s parents divorced after he finished filming Richie Rich, sparking a custody battle which spurred him to sue his parents in a bid to have them removed as legal guardians in control of his $17 million fortune.

The Home Alone star said their divorce was “one of the best things that’s ever happened” to him because it allowed him the space to quit the film industry.

He explained, “Eventually I was like ‘I’m done guys, hope you all made your money because there is no more coming from me,'”

During the podcast interview, Macaulay also spoke about his friendship with Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris Jackson, 19. Macaulay became close friends with her dad while still a child star and is her godfather.

“I am close with Paris,” Culkin told Maron “I’m going to warn you now I am very protective of her so just look out. I am a very open book when it comes to things but like with her, she is beloved by me.”

He and Paris share matching tattoos in memory of her father, who died in 2009.